July 27, 2006

 

US distributor charged with selling fake livestock antibiotics

 

 

A national distributor of antibiotics for livestock has been charged with selling counterfeit medication, money laundering and other offenses.

 

According to a federal indictment issued last week, Bruce Ray Noyes, a California drug reseller and CEO of Animal Pharmaceuticals, approved selling bogus drugs in deals worth US$1.47 million from 2001 to last year.

 

Five shareholders or employees of the company were also named in the indictments.

 

Charges include trafficking in counterfeit goods, money laundering, interstate fraud and selling and holding counterfeit drugs.

 

Brand names listed in the indictment are Excenel, Nuflor and Baytril, antibiotics for treatment of infectious diseases in cattle, swine and poultry.

 

The government is seeking forfeiture of the US$1.47 million plus US$358,000 believed to have come from the company's money laundering activities.

 

The fake drugs were brought from California and Mexico for distribution through Animal Pharmaceutical offices in Yakima and Jerome, Idaho.

 

Some of the drugs had concealed or altered expiration dates and others had failed to conform to manufacturers' standards.

 

Local newspapers reported in May that the FDA had obtained warrants for three people related to another California animal medical supply company accused of importing counterfeit animal drugs. The case was similar to what is being alleged in Yakima.

 

The chief executive of that company was a major shareholder in Animal Pharmaceuticals for part of the period covered by the indictment, and the investigation was sparked by a tip-off from a company sales representative.

 

Frank Hendrix, a Yakima County cooperative extension agent, said Animal Pharmaceuticals had a strong national reputation.

 

The drugs would likely have had little impact on human food supplies as cattle receiving such medication could not be sold until federal treatment timelines expire.

Animals that remain sick after drug treatment also cannot be slaughtered for human food, he added.